What is a ‘capsule wardrobe’? It’s a small collection of essential pieces you choose every season. With their harmonious colours and lines, you can wear these clothes and personalise your style as you wish. Be inspired by flowy materials in spring, bright colours in summer, bronze tones in autumn and soft fabrics in winter. This capsule will make your life a lot easier. So pick your clothes without becoming overwhelmed! Here’s how to do it in three steps.

Step 1:

Find the basics

The concept dates back to the 70s, when Susie Faux, owner of the West End boutique ‘Wardrobe’, created a collection of timeless clothing: skirts, trousers and coats to combine with more original pieces. This concept took off in 1985 when American designer, Donna Karan, put together the first capsule collection, consisting of seven interchangeable streetwear pieces.

The principle is simple: pick out twelve pieces to build the foundation of your wardrobe for the season. That way, you can easily transition from day to night, from the office to a party, from midweek to weekend. Discover our last-minute outfit ideas here.

Step 2:

Be organised

Here are some tips for creating your very own capsule wardrobe: first of all, empty your wardrobe! Layout all of your clothes on the bed, for example, so you can see what you have at a glance. Next, have a sort out: pick out the clothes you wear daily – not the clothes you’d like to wear, but the clothes you actually wear! Then, throw out any clothes you no longer wear or don’t plan to wear again. Make your life easier in the morning by sorting your outfits by category -– jackets, shirts, jumpers – and then by colour and season; ideally, put next season’s clothes away. That way, you can enjoy bringing them out again in a few months. Finally, check what still needs to be added to your wardrobe before going off to find the missing pieces.

Step 3:

Customise your essentials

To spruce up your wardrobe, complement the basics with something that will make you stand out: a trendy garment, a bright scarf, a nice pair of shoes, a cool bag, an eye-catching coat. Dream, observe, explore, and visit second-hand shops that are always full of surprises. That way, you can contribute to sustainable consumption; linked to this idea and the minimalist concept behind the capsule wardrobe is ‘slow fashion’, a forward-looking approach to fashion.

You will be able to take better care of your clothes if you reduce the amount you have every season: refresh, smooth and iron your clothes by steaming them, giving them a new lease of life! A capsule wardrobe helps make your life easier and more enjoyable, just like Laurastar.

How to start your capsule wardrobe